I’ve been MIA for the past few days because my academic/social calendars have been jam packed! I’ve also recently started studying for my GMAT exam which I plan to take in a couple of months, so not much free time for me.

For my birthday party, I ordered this dress from Nasty Gal and the fit was great, which is a first (glad I didn’t have to make any returns). I decided to have a signature drink and a pre-party by candlelight to get people ready to have a great night. And it worked! I love being 22.

I decided it was about time I got a new handbag and this green snakeskin one just happened to be on sale at Nordstrom. I’ve never had snakeskin in my closet before and really need to read up on how to take care of it. The necklace is from Nasty Gal and is amazing! I love that I can wear it with just about anything and it adds the right amount of sparkle to my outfit.

Even though we decided not to exchange presents this year (we’re shopping around for a DSLR), my boyfriend got me the orchids for Valentine’s day, along with a bright red Moleskine journal for jotting down my ideas. Love him!

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I’m currently training for my first 5k! It’s really exciting for me not because I ran track in high school, but because this will be a push for me mentally and physically. Through my training, I’ve been working on my endurance. In high school, my races never lasted more than 25 seconds! And now I’m shooting for under 25 minutes of non-stop running. I want to be able to say I did something I said I would. I followed through and didn’t quit.

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Anyway, plenty of my favorite stores are having sales this week and I’ve been online shopping like crazy.

Here’s what I love at ShopBop:

$171.50

$97.50

$124

$89.60

$88

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Mixed prints
Some would consider this daring trend a faux pas. Mixing prints can be done in a non-comical way, however. GANT by Michael Bastian showed that certain patterns, such as plaids and stripes, can in fact work together. One hint for successfully pulling off this look is to keep one print bold and the other light.

Get shorty
This season, if designers have their way, men’s shorts will be short. Really short. GANT Rugger showcased not only short shorts, but also cropped pants for men. While these trends aren’t novel, they were very prevalent, especially on international runways. When it comes to wearing this trend, socks can range from mid-calf to barely there. I would recommend no socks for those who wish to don this trend.

Color statement
Bored with wearing blacks, grays and browns? Great, because this spring is all about bold, vivid colors. Ports 1961, among other labels, placed a big emphasis on white, especially in trouser form. Mango orange, cerulean blues and navy were common colors paired with white. The color blocking trend found on women’s runways has made its way to men’s runways and soon to plenty of stores. The goal isn’t to look like a box of Crayola crayons, but to wear multiple complimentary colors simultaneously. They need not all be vibrant; instead, pair neutral colors with a bold color this spring to update your look.

Band of Outsiders

Sporty
Even if you’re not in the best shape of your life, this trend is one that just about everyone can pull off. Band of Outsiders and other brands featured athletic-inspired varsity jackets, mesh and drawstrings and lots of horizontal stripes on their spring runways. Be cautious when taking on this trend to avoid appearing like an extra for “The Royal Tenenbaums.” Instead of piling on every athletic thing in your closet, take a less literal approach to the trend and wear a charcoal gray jacket made of nylon or a hoodie in a bright color with an otherwise normal outfit.

The Southern gentleman
This trend may not appeal to everyone, however it is a nice one to take advantage of since ladies will perhaps find you more charming. The key pieces you’ll need to look like the ultimate Southern gentleman are seersucker and Sperry Top-Siders. There’s no need to rush and purchase a full seersucker suit. Rather, buy a piece, like a blazer, and incorporate it into your wardrobe.

Throw a blazer on it
Heading to class, a date in Forest Park or an art museum? Throw on a blazer. GANT Rugger placed blazers on a wide variety of outfits, from shorts to jeans to linen pants. They not only make you appear more put together, but they also keep you from looking boring and uninteresting.

The shoe game
If you don’t try anything new this season, be sure to upgrade your footwear to keep in line with the latest trends. Suede desert boots, bright sneakers and walnut-brown oxfords (with colorful laces for the avant-garde dresser) are three very popular footwear options that work for a variety of tastes and styles.

Yoga

The biggest thing I’ve learned in yoga is how to control my breathing, focus and be satisfied with my best. I rarely nail every pose and after years of running, have extremely tight hamstrings, but I try and progress for me is success.

Cardio Kick-boxing

This one’s tough and some weeks I don’t feel like going, but my endurance (physical and mental) has definitely improved in the past year, since I started going to kick-boxing classes.

Cooking at Home

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love getting dressed up and checking out trendy new restaurants in my city and in others. But you just can’t beat knowing exactly what you’re eating.

Girl’s Nights Out (and In)

I know that when I’m old, I’ll have very pronounced smile lines. I love laughing and being around amazing people. Spending time with my friends helps me to de-stress and relax which is great for my body.

What do you do to stay healthy?

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After watching this hilarious video, I realized that even though I love fashion, I rarely say the names of designers out loud. Sure I can recognize them in magazines and on the internet, but half of my friends wouldn’t know what I was talking about if I began to constantly drop names.   The great thing about it though, is that I don’t bombard them with fashion vernacular 24/7. Unfortunately, I don’t have room to practice this knowledge on a regular basis.

So, I found this listing on The Gloss that breaks down the pronunciations of various industry heavyweights. Awesome =)

Enjoy!

Anya Hindmarch : ahn-ya heind-march
Badgley Mischka : badge-lee meesh-ka
Balenciaga : bah-len-see-ah-gah
Balmain : bal-mah
Bebe : bee bee
Bottega Veneta : bo-tega ven-e-ta
Bulgari : bull-ga-ree
Burberry Prorsum : bur-bur-ree pror-some
Carolina Herrera : caro-leena hair-era
Chanel : shuh-nel
Christian Lacroix : la-kwa
Christian Louboutin : loo-boo-tahn (‘h’ is silent)
Comme des Garçons : comb day gar-son
Dior : dee-or
Diane von Furstenberg : pronounced like its spelled
Dolce & Gabbana : dole-chay gab-bon-a
Emilio Pucci : ee-mee-lee-oh  pu-chee
Etienne Aigner : eh-tee-yen on-yay
Givenchy : jsee-vawn-chi
Gucci : goo-chee
Hermès : err-mez
Hervé Léger : air-vay lay-jay
James Perse :  pronounced like “purse”
Jean Paul Gaultier :  zhan paul go-tee-ay
Lambertson Truex : lam-bert-son tru-ex
Lanvin : lon-vawn OR lon-vahn
Louis Vuitton : loo-wee vwe-tahn OR vhee-tawn

Madame Gres : mah-dam gray
Marchesa : mar-kay-sa
Moschino : mo-ski-no
Monique Lhuillier : mo-neek loo-lee-ay
Narciso Rodriguez : nar-si-so rod-ree-gus OR rod-ri-gez
Nicolas Ghesquière : ni-co-la guess-ki-air
Prada : prah-da
Pierre Cardin : pee-air car-dain
Proenza Schouler : pro-enza skool-er
Ralph Lauren :  Lauren (like the girl’s name, not lo-ren)
Rodarte : row-dar-tay
Sonia Rykiel :  saun-ya ree-kee-eel
Thakoon : ta-koon
Thierry Mugler: tee-air-ree moog-lay
Tibi : tbi (not Tee-bee)
Tocca : toe-ka
Ungaro : oon-ga-ro
Versace : ver-sah-chee OR ver-saw-chay
Yves Saint Laurent : eve  san-lor-ron
Zac Posen : poe-zen

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Being at home always makes me crave anything Nigerian. Food, people, music, blogs, I want it all. I love my culture and it’s a bit strange living in the States knowing that I don’t quite fit in. Then again, that’s what makes me unique and gives me a different perspective on things.

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